Improvement in fences



E. ALLEN.

Improvement in Fences.

Patented July 16.1872.

EDWARD ALLEN, OF HONEOYE, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN FENCES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 129,305, dated July 16, 1872.

' ing more clearly the method of construction.

The cost offences and their repair forms a very material item in the yearly expenses of a farmer, especially in those portions of the country where fencing materials are scarce and high in price. My invention consists in a method of constructing a straight fence of the cheapest materials and with the least cost for labor. Said materials consist of common or rough posts and split rails, which, when employed together to construct a fence heretofore, have commonly been united by mortisin g the posts and sharpening the rails. The labor required to prepare the posts and rails in that way materially increases the cost, and the posts and rails are weakened thereby, so that more timber is required to produce the requisite strength. To avoid the objections above alluded to, I employ light iron straps (made from common hoop-iron) to unite the rails and posts, said straps being secured by nails to the posts.

That others may fully understand by invention, I will particularly describe it.

A A represent the posts, which do not require to be hewu or dressed at all. B B represent the rails, which are the common split rails usually employed for common field-fences. These rails are necessarily irregular in size and shape, but this irregularity produces no inconvenience in constructing my fence. The posts A A are set in the usual manner along the line of the proposed fence, and at such distances apart as will accord with the length of the rails Bthat is to say, the posts should be so set that the rails will extend slightly past the adjoining posts, as shown. The strap (J of hoop-iron is first nailed to the post A near its bottom, and then passed over the lower rail 13 near its end, as shown, and again nailed to the post above said rail, as at I). Said strap is then nailed to the post again, as at 0, just below the position of the next rail, over which the strap is passed and secured as at d, and so on to the topmost rail. The

strap 0 may be turned over the top of the post and continued down the other side, securing the rails for the next panel in like manner; or another piece of strap may be em- .ployed for that side, as may be most convenient. The nails draw the straps tightly across the rails, so that they cannot be displaced accidentally nor by the application of any amount of power which an animal will usually exert in rubbing or pushing against the fence.

From the above description it will be evident that my fence employs the same materials as the common rail or worm fence, but in considerably less quantity, and that it is equally economical of ground with the more expensive post and rail or board fences. It will also be evident that my fence will notrequire skilled labor in its construction, and that the materials used will not be wasted or weak ened by dressing or shaping.

\Vhen it is required to take down or shift the fence the heads of the nails, or those at the upper sides of the rails, may be knocked off with a cold-chisel and the rails liberated.

Bars may be constructed at any point of my fence by simply using straps of somewhat heavier iron than is required for the permanent fastening of the rails, and leaving the loops of the 'same loose when nailed, so that the rails at that point can be withdrawn.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is r A post and rail fence, substantially as described, wherein the rails and posts are secured together by strips of iron which pass over the rails and are nailed to the posts in the manner set forth.

EDWARD ALLEN.

Witnesses:

R. D. 0. SMITH, J. G. LYoNs.

r Orrrcn. 

